Articles & Write-ups

The Fresh Fish Story

2009-09-01T01:49:00.000-07:00

The Japanese have always loved fresh fish.But the waters close to Japan have not held many fish for decades.So to feed the Japanese population,fishing boats got bigger and went farther than ever.
The farther the fishermen went, the longer it took to bring in the fish. If the return trip took more than a few days, the fish were not fresh. The Japanese did not like the taste.
To solve this problem, fishing companies installed freezers on their boats.They would catch the fish and freeze them at sea. Freezers allowed the boats to go farther and stay longer. However, the Japanese could taste the difference between fresh and frozen and they did not like frozen fish.

The frozen fish brought a lower price . So fishing companies installed fish tanks. They would catch the fish and stuff them in the tanks, fin to fin.
After a little thrashing around, the fish stopped moving.
They were tired and dull, but alive. Unfortunately, the Japanese could still taste the difference.
Because the fish did not move for days, they lost their fresh-fish taste.
The Japanese preferred the lively taste of fresh fish, not sluggish fish .

So how did Japanese fishing companies solve this problem? How do they get fresh-tasting fish to Japan? If you were consulting the fish industry, what would you recommend?

Here is How Japanese Fish Stay Fresh:
To keep the fish tasting fresh, the Japanese fishing companies still put the fish in the tanks.
But now they add a small shark to each tank. The shark eats a few fish, but most of the fish arrive in a very lively state. The fish are challenged.
Have you realized that some of us are also living in a pond but most of the time tired & dull,
So we need a Shark in our life to keep us awake and moving?
Basically in our lives Sharks are new challenges to keep us active and lively .....

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Good Corn

2009-06-12T02:04:00.000-07:00

There was a farmer who grew superior quality and award-winning corn.

Each year he entered his corn in the state fair where it won honour and prizes.

One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learnt something interesting about how he grew it.

The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbors.

"How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?" the reporter asked.

"Why sir," said the farmer, "didn't you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field.

If my neighbors grow inferior, sub-standard and poor quality corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn.

If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbours grow good corn."

The farmer gave a superb insight into the connectedness of life. His corn cannot improve unless his neighbour's corn also improves.

So it is in other dimensions! Those who choose to be at harmony must help their neighbours and colleagues to be at peace,

Those who choose to live well must help others to live well, for the value of a life is measured by the lives it touches.

And those who choose to be happy must help others to find happiness for the welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all.

If we are to grow good quality corn, we must help our neighbors grow good quality corn too....

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Facts You May Not Know

2008-09-17T01:55:00.000-07:00

Q: Why are many coin banks shaped like pigs?

A: Long ago, dishes and cookware in Europe were made of a dense orange clay called "pygg". When people saved coins in jars made of this clay, the jars became known as "pygg banks." When an English potter misunderstood the word, he made a bank that resembled a pig. And it caught on.

Q: Did you ever wonder why dimes, quarters and half dollars have notches, while pennies and nickels do not?

A: The US Mint began putting notches on the edges of coins containing gold and silver to discourage holders from shaving off small quantities of the precious metals Dimes, quarters and half dollars are notched because they used to contain silver. Pennies and nickels aren't notched because the metals they contain are not valuable enough to shave..

Q: Why do men's clothes have buttons on the right while women's clothes have buttons on the left?

A: When buttons were invented, they were very expensive and worn primarily by the rich. Because wealthy women were dressed by maids, dressmakers put the buttons on the maid's right. Since most people are right-handed, it is easier to push buttons on the right through holes on the left. And that's where women's buttons have remained since.

Q: Why do X's at the end of a letter signify kisses?

A: In the Middle Ages, when many people were unable to read or write, documents were often signed using an X. Kissing the X represented an oath to fulfill obligations specified in the document. The X and the kiss eventually became synonymous.

Q: Why is shifting responsibility to someone else called "passing the buck"?

A: In card games, it was once customary to pass an item, called a buck, from player to player to indicate whose turn it w as to deal. If a player did not wish to assume the responsibility, he would "pass the buck" to the next player.

Q: Why do people clink their glasses before drinking a toast?

A: It used to be common for someone to try to kill an enemy by offering him a poisoned drink. To prove to a guest that a drink was safe, it became customary for a guest to pour a small amount of his drink into the glass of the host. Both men would drink it simultaneously. When a guest trusted his host, he would then just touch or clink the host's glass with his own.

Q: Why are people in the public eye said to be "in the limelight"?

A: Invented in 1825, limelight was used in lighthouses and stage lighting by burning a cylinder of lime which produced a brilliant light. In the theatre, performers on stage "in the limelight" were seen by the audience to be the center of attention.

Q: Why do ships and aircraft in trouble use "mayday" as their call for help?

A: This comes from the French word m'aidez -meaning "help me" -- and is pronounced "mayday,"

Q: Why is someone who is feeling great "on cloud nine"?

A: Types of clouds are numbered according to the altitudes they attain, with nine being the highest cloud If someone is said to be on cloud nine, that person is floating well above worldly cares..

Q: Why are zero scores in tennis called "love! "?

A: In France , where tennis first became popular, a big, round zero on scoreboard looked like an egg and was called "l'oeuf," which is French for "egg.." When tennis was introduced in the US, Americans pronounced it "love."

Q: In golf, where did the term "Caddie" come from?

A: When Mary, later Queen of Scots, went to France as a young girl (for education & survival), Louis, King of France, learned that she loved the Scot game "golf." So he had the first golf course outside of Scotland built for her enjoyment. To make sure she was properly chaperoned (and guarded) while she played, Louis hired cadets from a military school to accompany her. Mary liked this a lot and when she returned to Scotland (not a very good idea in the long run), she took the practice with her. In French, the word cadet is pronounced 'ca-day' and the Scots changed it into "caddie."

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Home Remdies For Neck Pain

2008-08-26T22:16:00.000-07:00

Maybe you have a boss, or a brother-in-law, whom you describe as a pain in the neck. But when it comes to neck pain, the blame—as well as the pain—is probably resting on your shoulders.

"It's keeping your head in an awkward position—that is, pushed forward with your ears in front of your shoulders—for a long time that makes your neck hurt," says Joanne Griffin, senior physical therapist and inpatient headache treatment therapist at the New England Center for Headache at Greenwich Hospital in Connecticut. "That's what many people who have neck problems are doing."

Naturally, some people—because of their occupations—are more at risk than others. "Beauticians, for example, work in a bent-over position all day long," says Robert Kunkel, M.D., head of the Section of Headache in the Department of Internal Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

Regardless of your job or lifestyle, you can rid yourself of blame—and more importantly, pain—by applying a few time-tested methods, replacing bad habits with good ones, and giving your neck regular exercise. So keep your head up and your eyes open. Help is on the way.

Ice down. An ice pack or ice wrapped in a towel is a good choice when stiffness is just settling in, Griffin says. If your neck has been slightly injured, ice can help hold down swelling.

Heat up. After ice has reduced any inflammation, heat is a wonderful soother—be it from a heating pad or a hot shower.

Use a heat rub. These over-the-counter ointments are soothing but have no real healing effect because they don't really penetrate the skin's surface, says Steve Antonopulos, head athletic trainer for the Denver Broncos football team. Never use them with heating pads, he adds. At best they provide "psychological benefit."

Exercise Away Neck Pain

Yes, even your neck muscles need to be stretched and strengthened. Here are some exercises to combat stiffness and prevent problems in the future. Do each five times twice a day. Do the first three exercises for two weeks before starting the rest.

Slowly tilt your head forward as far as possible. Then move your head backward as far as possible.
Tilt your head toward your shoulder, while keeping your shoulder stationary. Straighten, then lean toward the other shoulder.
Slowly turn your head from side to side as far as possible.
Place your hand on one side of your head while you push toward it with your head. Hold for 5 seconds, then relax. Repeat three times. Then do the same exercise on the other side.
Do basically the same exercise as above, only provide slight resistance to the front of your head while you push your head forward. Then provide slight resistance to the back of your head while you push your head backward.
Hold light weights—say 3 to 5 pounds—in your hands while shrugging your shoulders. Keep your arms straight.

Take the old standby. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatories such as aspirin or ibuprofen will help reduce pain and inflammation. Take two pills three or four times a day.

Sit in a firm chair. Like the song says, the backbone is connected to the neck bone. And if you sit in a chair that doesn't give you good back support, you increase your chances of worsening existing neck problems and causing new ones, says Mitchell A. Price, D.C., a chiropractor in Temple, Pennsylvania.

Throw in the towel. Actually, roll a towel up and place it against the small of your back when sitting—it will better align your spine and give you additional support, says Griffin.

Take a break. Just as the feet need rest from constant standing, the neck needs a rest from constant sitting. Your head weighs approximately 8 pounds, Griffin says, and that's a lot of weight for the neck to support without much help from the rest of your body. So periodically stand up and walk around.

Keep your chin up. Keep your head level but pull your chin in as if you were making a double chin, says Griffin. Also avoid having your head lowered all the time when working at a desk or reading, she advises. This will prevent stressing the muscles in the back of the neck.

See eye to screen. If you work with a video display terminal all day, it's important to have it positioned at eye level. If you force yourself to look up or down hour after hour, you may cause your neck to spasm, says Price.

Reach out. And consider putting down the telephone. If you talk on the phone a lot, especially while trying to write, you've got your neck in an awkward position—an invitation to stiffness and pain.

Lift carefully. It's all too easy to forget there's a right way and a wrong way to lift heavy objects. The right way, says Price, is to bend your knees and hold your spine erect while positioning the object between your feet, which should be shoulder-width apart. When you lift the object, keep it as close to your body as possible.

Sleep on a firm mattress. A lot of neck problems begin, and worsen, with poor sleeping habits. Having a firm mattress is important, Price says.

Don't fight with your pillow. Just toss it aside. "A lot of people with neck pain feel better sleeping flat—without a pillow," Dr. Kunkel says.

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A Millionaire & Three Beggers

2008-07-29T02:58:00.000-07:00

There was a good-natured millionaire in the town. Three beggars thought of approaching him for help. The first man went to the millionaire and said: "O Lord! I want five rupees. Please give me." The millionaire was taken aback at this man's impudence. "What! You demand five rupees from me as though I owe you the money! How dare you? How can I afford to give five rupees to a single beggar? Here, take these two rupees and get away," he said. The man went away with the two rupees.

The next beggar went to the millionaire and said: "Oh Lord! I have not taken a square meal for the past ten days. Please help me."
"How much do you want?" asked the millionaire.
"Whatever you give me, Maharaj," replied the beggar.
"Here, take this ten rupee note. You can have nice food for at least three days." The beggar walked away with the ten rupee note.

The third beggar came. "Oh Lord, I have heard about your noble qualities. Therefore, I have come to see you. Men of such charitable disposition are verily the manifestations of God on earth," he said.

"Please sit down," said the millionaire. "You appear to be tired. Please take this food," he said, and offered food to the beggar.
"Now please tell me what I can do for you."

"Oh Lord," replied the beggar; "I merely came to meet such a noble personage that you are. You have given me this rich food already. What more need I get from you? You have already shown extraordinary kindness towards me. May God bless you!"

But the millionaire, struck by the beggar's spirit, begged of the beggar to remain with him, built a decent house for him in his own compound, and looked after him for the rest of his life.

God is like this good millionaire. Three classes of people approach Him, with three different desires and prayers. There is the greedy man full of vanity, full of arrogance, full of desires. He demands the objects of worldly enjoyment from God. Since this man, whatever be his vile desires, has had the good sense to approach God, He grants him some part of the desired objects (even these very soon pass away, just as the two rupees the first beggar got are spent before nightfall).

The other type of devotee prays to the Lord for relief from the sufferings of the world, but is better than the first one, in as much as he is ready to abide by His Will. To him the Lord grants full relief from suffering, and bestows on him much wealth and property.

The third type he merely prays to the Lord: "O Lord, Thou art Existence-Absolute, Knowledge-Absolute, Bliss-Absolute, etc., etc." What does he want? Nothing. But the Lord is highly pleased with his spirit of renunciation, of desirelessness and of self-surrender. Therefore, He makes him eat His own food, i.e., He grants this man Supreme Devotion to Himself. Over and above this, He makes the devotee to live in His own House For ever afterwards this devotee dwells in the Lord's Abode as a Liberated Sage

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ATM Security Myth Busted

2008-07-18T22:28:00.000-07:00

If someone force you to withdraw money from ATM, THEN......

If you are ever forced by a thief or someone to take money out of an ATM machine, enter your pin number reversed.

So if your number is 1254 mark 4521.

The ATM machine will give you your money, but will automatically recognize this as a plea for help and will alert the police unknown to the thief.

This option is in all ATM machines, but not many people know this.

This is false,

if you are ever forced to withdraw money from an ATM by a criminal, can you assist in the theif's capture by simply reversing your PIN? Probably not.

This is a case of rumor getting slightly ahead of reality. Yes, the technology to make this a reality does exist and at least one lawmaker is championing the cause to have such a system put into action. Illinois attorney Joseph Zingher got the idea when he was in law school and was using an ATM in a dangerous part of town. He patented his concept in 1998.

Zingher proposed that every ATM account come with two PINs - the standard code to confirm ownership of the account and another, dubbed the SafetyPIN or PanicPIN, that would allow cash to be withdrawn, but also notify law enforcement that a crime was taking place at the location of the ATM. The most likely source of this second PIN would be to reverse the first, however Zingher's plan allows for the card holder to specify any code as the SafetyPIN (which would get around the problem of PINs that are the same in reverse as they are forward).

Legislation calling for the institution of a SafetyPIN-type system has been introduced in Kansas and Illinois. The Kansas bill failed and the Illinois bill was so dilluted by bank industry lobbyists at passage that it made adoption optional. As of this writing, there is no other such legislation in the works and no banks or other financial institutions have implemented any such plan.

The bank industry has been very resistant to Zergher's plan. They argue that the average consumer may not have the clarity of mind in such a situation to successfully enter their alternate PIN and that efforts to do so might be seen by the criminal as resistance, thus increasing the risk of violence. They also contend that law enforcement would likely not be able to respond fast enough to catch the thief.

But the real reason behind the industry's reluctance may be much more straightforward. Implementation of the system would likely be expensive and the relatively low incidence of ATM crime just doesn't justify the cost. Many industry experts hint that they have their own solution in the works, but offer no details.

Until the better mousetrap can be built, we have to keep our defenses up. Always be alert of your surroundings when using an ATM and look for machines in well-lit, high traffic areas. If anyone approaches you, especially with a deadly weapon, and orders you to withdraw cash, law enforcement experts advise to give the crook exactly what he wants, then notify officials as soon as possible after the incident.

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Wet Pants

2008-07-18T01:57:00.000-07:00

Come with me to a third grade classroom.....

There is a nine-year-old kid sitting at his desk and all of a sudden, there is a puddle between his feet and the front of his pants are wet.

He thinks his heart is going to stop because he cannot possibly imagine how this has happened. It's never happened before, and he knows that when the boys find out he will never hear the end of it..

When the girls find out, they'll never speak to him again as long as he lives.

The boy believes his heart is going to stop; he puts his head down and prays this prayer, "Dear God, this is an emergency! I need help now! Five minutes from now I'm dead meat."

He looks up from his prayer and here comes the teacher with a look in her eyes that says he has been discovered.

As the teacher is walking toward him, a classmate named Susie is carrying a goldfish bowl that is filled with water. Susie trips in front of the teacher and inexplicably dumps the bowl of water in the boy's lap.

The boy pretends to be angry, but all the while is saying to himself,

"Thank you, Lord! Thank you, Lord!"

Now all of a sudden, instead of being the object of ridicule, the boy is the object of sympathy. The teacher rushes him downstairs and gives him gym shorts to put on while his pants dry out.

All the other children are on their hands and knees cleaning up around his desk. The sympathy is wonderful. But as life would have it, the ridicule that should have been his has been transferred to someone else - Susie.

She tries to help, but they tell her to get out. "You've done enough, you klutz! "

Finally, at the end of the day, as they are waiting for the bus, the boy walks over to Susie and whispers, "You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

Susie whispers back, "I wet my pants once too."

May God help us see the opportunities that are always around us to do good.

Each and everyone one of us are going through tough times right now, but God is getting ready to bless you in a way that only He can.

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A Love Story from China

2008-07-07T21:56:00.000-07:00

An incredible love story has come out of China recently and managed to touch the world.
It is a story of a man and an older woman who ran off to live and love each other in peace for over half a century.

The 70-year-old Chinese man who hand-carved over 6,000 stairs up a mountain for his 80-year-old wife has passed away in the cave which has been the couple's home for the last 50 years.

Over 50 years ago, Liu Guojiang a 19 year-old boy, fell in love with a 29 year-old widowed mother named Xu Chaoqin..

In a twist worthy of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, friends and relatives criticized the relationship because of the age difference and the fact that Xu already had children.

At that time, it was unacceptable and immoral for a young man to love an older woman.. To avoid the market gossip and the scorn of their communities, the couple decided to elope and lived in a cave in Jiangjin County in Southern ChongQing Municipality.

In the beginning, life was harsh as hey had nothing, no electricity or even food. They had to eat grass and roots they found in the mountain, and Liu made a kerosene lamp that they used to light up their lives.

Xu felt that she had tied Liu down and repeatedly asked him, 'Are you regretful? Liu always replied, 'As long as we are industrious, life will improve.'

In the second year of living in the mountain, Liu began and continued for over 50 years, to hand-carve the steps so that his wife could get down the mountain easily.

Half a century later in 2001, a group of adventurers were exploring the forest and were surprised to find the elderly couple and the over 6,000 hand-carved steps. Liu MingSheng, one of their seven children said, 'My parents loved each other so much, they have lived in seclusion for over 50 years and never been apart a single day. He hand carved more than 6,000 steps over the years for my mother's convenience, although she doesn't go down the mountain that much.'

The couple had lived in peace for over 50 years until last week. Liu,now 72 years, returned from his daily farm work and collapsed. Xu sat and prayed with her husband as he passed away in her arms. So in love with Xu, was Liu, that no one was able to release the grip he had on his wife's hand even after he had passed away.

'You promised me you'll take care of me, you'll always be with me until the day I died, now you left before me, how am I going to live without you?'

Xu spent days softly repeating this sentence and touching her husband's black coffin with tears rolling down her cheeks.

In 2006, their story became one of the top 10 love stories from China , collected by the Chinese Women Weekly. The local government has decided to preserve the love ladder and the place they lived as a museum, so this love story can live forever.

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Importance of having Breakfast

2008-06-26T22:58:00.001-07:00

Breakfast can help prevent strokes, heart attack and sudden death. Advice on not to skip breakfast!

Healthy living
For those who always skip breakfast, you should stop that habit now! You've heard many times that "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day." Now, recent research confirms that one of the worst practices you can develop may be avoiding breakfast.

Why?
Because the frequency of heart attack, sudden death, and stroke peaks between 6:00a.m. and noon , with the highest incidence being between 8: 00a.m. and 10:00a.m.What mechanism within the body could account for this significant jump in sudden death in the early morning hours?

We may have an Answer.
Platelet, tiny elements in the blood that keep us from bleeding to Death if we get a cut, can clump together inside our arteries due to cholesterol or plaque buildup in the artery lining. It is in the morning hours that platelets become the most activated and tend to form these internal blood clots at the greatest frequency.

However, eating even a very light breakfast prevents the morning platelet activation that is associated with heart attacks and strokes. Studies performed at Memorial University in St.Johns, Newfoundland found that eating a light, very low-fat breakfast was critical in modifying the morning platelet activation. Subjects in the study consumed either low-fat or fat-free yogurt, orange juice, fruit, and a source of protein coming from yogurt or fat-free milk. So if you skip breakfast, it's important that you change this practice immediately in light of this research. Develop a simple plan to eat cereal, such as oatmeal or Bran Flakes, along with six ounces of grape juice or orange juice, and perhaps a piece of fruit. This simple plan will keep your platelets from sticking together, keep blood clots from forming, and perhaps head off a potential Heart Attack or stroke. So never ever skip breakfast.

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Secrets Of Flat Stomach & 6 Packs

2008-06-24T21:41:00.000-07:00

Developing a lean, flat stomach takes time and patience, especially when it comes to those last few kilograms in those hard to lose places. There is only one way to lose fat in the so-called ’stubborn areas,’ and that is with the correct combination strength training (with a extra focus on mid-section), cardiovascular exercise (short, hard workouts), and stable blood sugar (keeps you from adding additional fat and makes it easier for the body to use body fat for fuel).

Spot Reduction is a Myth - The first thing you need to realize is that it is impossible to ’spot reduce’ fat from one specific part of the body. Fat loss occurs systemically, meaning that you can’t control where the fat comes from. When you burn fat for energy, you will draw it from all areas of the body, and the first place you tend to put it on will be the last place it comes off.

Cardio, cardio, cardio - Doing all the abs exercises in the world will do nothing if you have a layer of fat covering it. Doing strength training, or lifting weights, would help, but not as much as aerobic exercise. If you want to add some ab exercises in after the cardio, that’s great, but be sure to work your whole torso, not just the upper abs — that includes the lower abs, lower back and the muscles that wrap around your sides.
For example, Walking, jogging, bicycling, elliptical exercise and stair climbing are all great fat burners. Most give up early in the workout. During the first 10 minutes of aerobic activity, glycogen (stored carbohydrates) is the primary fuel source. Because you don’t burn significant amounts of fat until glycogen stores are depleted, the key to maximum fat loss is to work out aerobically for 30-60 minutes continuously per session.

Diet - Its best to stay away from fried food and too many sugary desserts. Abdominal fat loss is a 50% exercise, 50% nutrition combination. Regardless of how much you workout, if the number of calories you take in is greater than the amount you burn, you’ll still put on abdominal fat.
Eat Small Meals Regularly - You should try and spread your calories out into five small meals a day instead of 2 or 3 big ones so that you don’t overeat in one feeding.

Give it Time - If you want to have a flat stomach in 3 weeks, forget it. Losing fat takes time, and it’s unhealthy to lose too much weight too fast. Gradual weight loss is healthier, and more likely to be sustained over time. Go for a lifestyle change, something you can live with for the rest of your life, or you will just yo-yo. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

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Interesting Trivia

2008-06-19T22:13:00.000-07:00

Q: Why are many coin banks shaped like pigs?

A: Long ago, dishes and cookware in Europe were made of a dense orange clay called "pygg". When people saved coins in jars made of this clay, the jars became known as "pygg banks." When an English potter misunderstood the word, he made a bank that resembled a pig. And it caught on.

Q: Did you ever wonder why dimes, quarters and half dollars have notches, while pennies and nickels do not?

A: The US Mint began putting notches on the edges of coins containing gold and silver to discourage holders from shaving off small quantities of the precious metals Dimes, quarters and half dollars are notched because they used to contain silver. Pennies and nickels aren't notched because the metals they contain are not valuable enough to shave..

Q: Why do men's clothes have buttons on the right while women's clothes have buttons on the left?

A: When buttons were invented, they were very expensive and worn primarily by the rich. Because wealthy women were dressed by maids, dressmakers put the buttons on the maid's right. Since most people are right-handed, it is easier to push buttons on the right through holes on the left. And that's where women's buttons have remained since.

Q: Why do X's at the end of a letter signify kisses?

A: In the Middle Ages, when many people were unable to read or write, documents were often signed using an X. Kissing the X represented an oath to fulfill obligations specified in the document. The X and the kiss eventually became synonymous

Q: Why is shifting responsibility to someone else called "passing the buck"?

A: In card games, it was once customary to pass an item, called a buck, from player to player to indicate whose turn it w as to deal. If a player did not wish to assume the responsibility, he would "pass the buck" to the next player.

Q: Why do people clink their glasses before drinking a toast?

A: It used to be common for someone to try to kill an enemy by offering him a poisoned drink. To prove to a guest that a drink was safe, it became customary for a guest to pour a small amount of his drink into the glass of the host. Both men would drink it simultaneously. When a guest trusted his host, he would then just touch or clink the host's glass with his own.

Q: Why are people in the public eye said to be "in the limelight"?

A: Invented in 1825, limelight was used in lighthouses and stage lighting by burning a cylinder of lime which produced a brilliant light. In the theatre, performers on stage "in the limelight" were seen by the audience to be the center of attention.

Q: Why do ships and aircraft in trouble use "mayday" as their call for help?

A: This comes from the French word m'aidez -meaning "help me" -- and is pronounced "mayday,"

Q: Why is someone who is feeling great "on cloud nine"?

A: Types of clouds are numbered according to the altitudes they attain, with nine being the highest cloud If someone is said to be on cloud nine, that person is floating well above worldly cares.

Q: Why are zero scores in tennis called "love! "?

A: In France , where tennis first became popular, a big, round zero on scoreboard looked like an egg and was called "l'oeuf," which is French for "egg." When tennis was introduced in the US , Americans pronounced it "love."

Q: In golf, where did the term "Caddie" come from?

A. When Mary, later Queen of Scots, went to France as a young girl (for education & survival), Louis, King of France , learned that she loved the Scot game "golf." So he had the first golf course outside of Scotland built for her enjoyment. To make sure she was properly chaperoned (and guarded) while she played, Louis hired cadets from a military school to accompany her. Mary liked this a lot and when she returned to Scotland (not a very good idea in the long run), she took the practice with her. In French, the word cadet is pronounced 'ca-day' and the Scots changed it into "caddie."

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AVOIDING ALLERGIES: From Food or Feathers

2008-06-19T22:10:00.001-07:00

Have you ever experienced itching and rashes after eating a lobster, a crab, or shrimps? Chances are you have an allergy. An allergy is an immune system response. The signs and symptoms of allergy are reactions of the immune system to substances or chemicals that are normally harmless. Just a little exposure to an allergen is enough to alert the immune system of the substance. Immediately, the immune system would signal for the release of histamine and other chemicals.

The release of these chemicals triggers swelling, itching, mucus production, hives, rashes, and muscle spasms. The extent of the reaction is different from person to person. For some people, an allergic reaction could be life threatening and demand immediate medical attention. Life threatening reactions are called anaphylaxis. People with eczema and asthma usually have allergies connected with the disorders.

Allergens could be anything depending on a person's response. Some people are even allergic to hot or cold temperatures, sunlight, or other physical stimuli. Allergic reactions could also be brought about by the use of certain cosmetics, jewelry, and insect bites. The most common allergens include: pollen from trees, grass, and weeds, mold, proteins found in the skin, saliva, and urine of domesticated animals, and dust mites.

In order to prevent activating your allergy to pollen, take a bath or shower before bedtime to make sure to get rid of pollen on your hair and skin. During dry, windy days, avoid going outside and close windows and doors.

You might need to have air conditioner at home and in your car. If you want to fight molds, remove house plants and clean shower curtains often, including bathroom windows, wet walls, areas with dry rot, and indoor trash cans. To effectively kill a mold, you have to use a mixture of water and chlorine bleach. To prevent mold, increase the movement of air inside the house using fans or by opening doors and windows. You may also decide to use mold-proof paint on your bathroom and use a humidifier to reduce humidity in the house.

If you have severe allergy related to your pets, perhaps it would be best not to have a pet in the first place. However, you could also do well by giving your pet a daily bath and by using air filter. You could also consult your friendly veterinarian about reducing pet dander in the house.

You can never get rid of dust and dust mites, but you could reduce them. To do so, get rid of feather pillows, drapes, upholstered furniture, non-washable comforters, and soft toys. Use linoleum or wood instead of a carpet, although polished floors are the best option for you. Mop the floor often with damp mop and clean surfaces with damp cloth. Regular vacuuming is needed, especially on soft furniture, curtains, and floors. You may also need to install an air cleaner. Try not to use mattress pads, but cover mattress and pillows with plastic covers instead. Lowering the humidity of the house also helps fight off dust.

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.
The service is provided as general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor.

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Handbags Yuck!

2008-06-15T22:20:00.000-07:00

Wow, I never thought of it, but I guess it's true! I am glad I am a wallet carrier as opposed to a handbag carrier!

THIS IS SICKENING
Have you ever noticed gals who sit their handbags on public toilet floors, then go directly to their dining tables and set it on the table? Happens a lot! It's not always the 'restaurant food' that causes stomach distress. Sometimes "what you don't know will hurt you"!
READ ON...
Mom got so upset when guests came in the door and plopped their handbags down on the counter where she was cooking or setting up food. She always said that handbags are really dirty, because of where they have been. It's something just about every woman carries with them. While we may know what's inside our handbags, do you have any idea what's on the outside?

HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES
Women carry handbags everywhere; from the office to public toilets to the floor of the car. Most women won't be caught without their handbags, but did you ever stop to think about where your handbag goes during the day. "I drive a school bus, so my handbag has been on the floor of the bus a lot," says one woman. "On the floor of my car, and in toilets" "I put my handbag in grocery shopping carts and on the floor of the toilet," says another woman "and of course in my home which should be clean."

IT'S TIME TO GO FOR TESTS
We decided to find out if handbags harbor a lot of bacteria. We learned how to test them at Nelson Laboratories in Salt Lake, and then we set out to test the average woman's handbag. Most women told us they didn't stop to think about what was on the bottom of their handbag. Most said at home they usually set their handbags on top of kitchen tables and counters where food is prepared. Most of the ladies we talked to told us they wouldn't be surprised if their handbags were at least a little bit dirty. It turns out handbags are so surprisingly dirty, even the microbiologist who tested them was shocked.

Microbiologist Amy Karen of Nelson Labs says nearly all of the handbags tested were not only high in bacteria, but high in harmful kinds of bacteria. Pseudomonas can cause eye infections, staphylococcus aurous can cause serious skin infections, and salmonella and e-coli found on the handbags could make people very sick. In one sampling, four of five handbags tested positive for salmonella, and that's not the worst of it. "There is fecal contamination on the handbags" says Amy. Leather or vinyl handbags tended to be cleaner than cloth handbags, and lifestyle seemed to play a role.

People with kids tended to have dirtier handbags than those without, with one exception. The handbag of one single woman who frequented nightclubs had one of the worst contaminations of all. "Some type of feces, or possibly vomit" says Amy.

WHAT IS THE MORAL OF THIS STORY
So the moral of this story is that your handbag won't kill you, but it does have the potential to make you very sick if you keep it on places where you eat. Use hooks to hang your handbag at home and in toilets, and don't put it on your desk, a restaurant table, or on your kitchen countertop.

Experts say you should think of your handbag the same way you would a pair of shoes. "If you think about putting a pair of shoes onto your countertops, that's the same thing you're doing when you put your handbag on the countertops" - Your handbag has gone where individuals before you have sneezed, coughed, spat, urinated, emptied bowels, etc! Do you really want to bring that home with you? The microbiologists at Nelson also said cleaning a handbag will help. Wash cloth handbags and use leather cleaner to clean the bottom of leather handbags.

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What is Hinduism ... A Study

2008-06-01T22:32:00.000-07:00

What is Hinduism ?
The puraanas tell that Himalayam samaarabhya yaavath indu sarovaram tham deva nirmitham desam hindustanam prachakshathey.
The nation which starts from Himalayas and ends in Indian ocean and which is created by the god is known as Hindustanam. And those who are living there are Hindus.

How the Hindus are defined ?
Aa sindo sindu paryantham yasya bhartha bhoomikam maathru bhoo pitru bhoo schaiva sa vai hindu riti smruthaa
Those who consider and respect the country which extends from Indus valley ( sindu river ) up to Indian ocean as their motherland, father land or holy land, they are the Hindus. ( all those consider bhratham as their own mother/father/ holy land they are the Hindus)

Why it is said that Hinduism is not a religion ?
It is not created by an individual / prophet/ Rishi . So it is not the opinion (matham) or advise of an individual. So it is not a religion. It is the contribution of thousands of Rishies.

Who created Hinduism?
Thousands of Rishies, during the course of thousands of years could formulate a perfect style/way of thinking and practicing various aspects and concepts in the life. Those are codified as the customs and rituals or in short acharas. These acharas combined together forms the dharma . Dharma is the way of life. So Hinduism is the way of life.

Why it is known as sanathana dharma?
Sanaathana word means ( according to Bhagavath geetha) as the one which cannot be destroyed by any method and the one which is ever existing in everything. The one which is immovable, and non perishable is the sanaathanam. So this dharma is ever existing and it cannot be destroyed . So it is sanaathanam.

Is it not true that something which has a beginning , has an end also ?
It is true for which has a beginning. This dharma does not have a beginning so it will not have an end also. If it started decaying someone /avathara will come to protect and energise to bring back the dharma with all its positive results as it is told in Bhagavath Geetha.

What is the meaning of Dharma ?
Dharma is the one which is guiding, protecting, supporting, …you . Dharanaath dharma …the one which is protecting you is dharma.

Are Hinduism and sanaathana dharma the same ?
Yes! They are the same and remember that there is nothing like Hinduism . It is an English word created by the British or someone . There communism, socialism, capitalism etc but nothing like Hinduism.

Why some people call it a religion?
When all other way of life are known as ‘religion’ like the one based on Jesus, Mohammed and so on form religions, if similar name used it may be easy to others to understand. Hence people started, particularly the British started using the word Hinduism and it came into practice. Now every Indian is also using the same.

Is the word Indian and Hindu synonym ?
Definitely yes. According to the definition, the Indian word is same as Hindu. Majority of the minority and politicians may not agree with that. Because they are full of wrong impressions created during 250 years of foreign rule.

Then where the Indian Christians and Muslim will fit in ?
They are also Hindus. They are Hindu Christians and Hindu Muslims. Just like we say American Christian, Pakistani Muslim, etc.

When was Hindu dharma started?
None knows the answer. According the archeological evidence, the Vedas might have got composed something like 6000 - 8000 BC, in the present form. So the dharma might have formed earlier to this. Since it is a way of life, none can trace the beginning point of the dharma. If it would have been a contribution of some individual, we can say from the period of that individual.

What the archeological evidences say ?
The archeological studies carried out in Kalibhangan, Bhagavan pura, Mehargarh, etc shows that the oldest artifacts available are of the period BC 8250. So the Hindu civilization or the one something similar to that started blooming during then.

Is the Indus valley civilization same as the Hindu dharma civilisation?
Definitely all the proofs available say so. Particularly those are available very recently. Even though foreigners and the so called Indian intellectuals wanted to distort the true history and wanted to prove wrongly that they are different from Hindu dharma, the conclusion is that both are the same.

But many people say against it why ?
There was an intentional conspiracy to distort the facts which was spearheaded and created by the British to confuse Indians through the Aryan invasion theory and create a feeling among Indians that they are also the invaders like the British ( to Indian subcontinent) . So they wanted to prove that Indus valley, Harappan civilization etc are entirely different from the Vedic civilization and Hindu culture . This was fully utilized by our pseudo intellectuals and also the so called secularists for creating a complex in the Indian mind.

Who are the Aryans ?
The word Aryan does not have any meaning of race or a group of people. But it means only the scholarly people. You know arya vaidya sala, aryaavartham, aryavepu, aryaputra all meant for ‘scholarly’ meaning.

Where can we see the use of this word in Vedas?
In Vedas there are a number of places where the Arya word is used as “krunvantho viswam aryam = let us make the world a glorious one. Srunvanthu viswe amruthasya putraa aaye dhamaani divyaani thasthu = the children of immortals, let us come together and chant the great songs, here too the message is arya. Every wife used to call her husband of royal family as aryaputra.

Some people say the Vedic civilization and Hindu civilization are different. Is it correct?
Vedic civilization itself is the Hindu civilization, there is no difference. There is nothing like Hindu civilization. It is only the Vedic.

When was the Vedas written?
Vedas are known as anaadi which means the date of origin is not known. It is also said that it existed from time immemorial. But the Veda Vyasa compiled it in the present form.

What is the real meaning of the word Veda?
Veda was formed from vid means knowledge. ( more details will be available when we discuss about Vedas separately)

What the Vedas say about the date of its origin?
Brihaspati prathamam jaayamaanam thishyam nakshatram abhisambhaboova . The delta cancri (thishyam)star when got occulted by Jupiter planet, and when the planet moved forward, it looked as the star was born newly..This is an astronomical phenomenon. The computer simulation studies showed that this occulting might have taken place almost during BC 4275 or so. If this vedic line was written after seeing this phenomenon, then this line coming in the last part of RigVeda (partly) might have been written about 6250 years ago. So the last part of Rig Veda might have composed during this period. If this is true the first part might have got composed about 2 to 3 thousand more years ago.

So the Vedas may be more than 7 - 8 thousand years old. Does this agree with the scholars’ opinion ?
No This is not agreeing with Indian scholars Opinion. Indian scholars means like Balagangadhara thilak, Jnanaanda saraswati, dayananda sarawati, and so on put the period of Vedas 20 to 50 thousand years ago. The pseudo scholars fix the period like their Gurus of west, around 1000 BC or so.

Does it agree with foreign scholars?
Some of them think this may be correct. Some of them even conclude that Vedas are of 2 to 3 thousands old. Now a rethinking is picking up fast. Some of Them also fixed the period as many thousand years ago.

Does it mean that Hindu dharma is the oldest religion?
Because all other religion was of later origin! If you want to label Hindu as a religion or otherwise also , Hindu dharma is the oldest religion in the world and Rig Veda is the oldest literature.

How the messages of Hinduism spread from generation to generation?
This dharma spread from place to place and generation to generations through acharas seen and heard from the parents, books, illustrations, etc.

Did Hindu dharma spead outside India ?
Yes it spread through the world, including African contenent, American continents and so on.

Should we blindly follow the Hindu dharma ?
You can critically or blindly follow/accept the messages of dharma or reject the dharma. Freedom is yours. Nothing is strict. Every part of the Hindu acharas are left to the freedom of the individual.

What is meant by the freedom of the Individual ?
In sanathana dharma the followers have the freedom for criticizing the negatives, evaluating the merits, correcting the superstitions and mistakes, modifying the ideas based on desa ( place), kaala (time) and the condition of the practitioner. Adding any novel ideas beneficial for human beings, deleting which are irrelevant and obsolete , accepting anything good for the benefit of individuals/ family/society/ nation, from everywhere rejecting any outdated practices are the main principle.

Have the Hindus got the freedom to change the basic books ?
They can make their own recensions /sakhas of any book. The old will remain the same. New used to be known in the name of the composer. Any of the Hindu beliefs, thoughts, books, faiths, rituals, customs, concepts, can be subjected to the above process of refining through addition, deletion, correction and modification.

Why our dharma is not rigid ?
Because of the above freedom Hindus have as many as 1280 basic dharmic books as (matha granthas with tens of thousands of commentaries) where as the people of other religion have only one book. Nothing rigid or strict and followed without refining cannot exist in the world for long. As long as you have the freedom to think, till then flexibility is inevitable and growth is part of it.

Why this oldest religion still survives?
Because of the great freedom given by our Rishies for taking good from everywhere and rejecting bad at any time, Hindu dharma still remain strong even after more than a thousand years of foreign aggression and massacre.

Who is the final authority of Hindu dharma? Is there anyone like pope?
One should remember that there is no final authority for Hindu dharma whose words are the final answers for coming to a conclusion on anything. You know other civilizations like Mesopotamia, Greek, Egyptians, Babylonia ,,,,, ,etc got wiped out from the surface of the globe Earth. Bharatheeya dharma did not die. It is giving light to billions of people world over. Its contributions have become a great subject for learning and practicing now. Because everyone has the freedom to add, subtract, delete, correct and modify the ideas and practices. None can be labeled as the final authority to direct or impose the rule.

Why we have so many books whereas Christians and Muslims have only one each?
All the knowledge required for the progress of the human beings cannot be included in one book, nor one saint can contribute all the required knowledge. Hence our forefathers wrote hundreds of books for the benefit of the human beings world over. In short sanathana dharma is based on more than 1280 books and tens of thousands of commentaries as our dharma granthas.

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Marriage & Office

2008-06-01T22:07:00.000-07:00

In the wake of two shocking incidents that took place in Bangalore and Hyderabad, couples committing suicide because of extra-marital affairs with their colleagues, I just thought of writing a small article on how to avoid such incidents. This is really a serious matter and if not dealt on at an early stage could lead to such incidents in our personal life too. I have done research on human behavior and psychology and am trying to put-in some text which may (or may not) be helpful to you. Never-the-less I feel it's worth knowing such things and if possible every individual can make a conscious effort to more or less follow the same.

Some people don't take advice but taking good advice may do you no harm. Those who are not married this is the best article as before starting a new relationship if you are ready for it, will only help you to lead a happy life.

Read on..
We spend 40/45/50/60 hours a week with our colleagues. This is the most we spend with any members of our family. So it's obvious they are an integral part of our life. Good, understood. But an important point to remember is colleagues are colleagues and not friends and if you think they are friends then you are highly mistaken. Imagine working together for 9 hours a day together and then returning home and continuing to talk with your colleague on phone. This is what happened with that Infosys guy who could not stand this behavior of his wife and killed her and committed suicide. Which husband would like his wife talking on phone with her colleague and that too male counterpart? Or which wife will like her husband doing the same? Just keep yourself in that situation and see. Anger will creep in within you.
So whatever gossip or topic you want to discuss with your colleagues do it during office hours and once you are out of office forget about your work and your colleagues unless it's official matter.

Just check this unnecessary talk…
A guy and her colleague walking out of office at 6.30p.m. At 7.30 or 8.00 the guy calls that female,
Guy: Hi, how are you? Where have you reached? (Don't you know how she is and where she must be at this time)
Lady: I am fine. Reached home.
Guy: What are you cooking today?
Lady: So and so (Now here the lady knows that the guy has called to flirt with her and the call is unnecessary. It's the duty of the female to say something to avoid that guy. If she doesn't at this stage then this call will be going for another 30-45 mins and questions like 'When will you be taking bath? What time you will sleep? What will you bring for me for breakfast for tomorrow will creep in?' and imagine the state of the family members of that lady at this point.
They expect the lady to come and talk with them for sometime but here this lady is enjoying a talk with the guy with whom she has been working since morning. No wonder such people will have a horrendous married life.

A simple thing to think about. Say you are not married. You go to office and come back say at 6.00 in the evening. You have so much of time left. Can't you read some books and increase your knowledge rather than spending one-two hours on mobile. Girls can start experimenting with new dishes. Main thing to understand is such gossiping on calls becomes on habit and bad habits die-hard. You will be addicted to talking and this can be bad as time goes on. One you start working you have to come out of college life. In college you could enjoy, flirt, do anything you wanted. But this is real life. Be responsible or else you will be responsible for your terrible life and the life if your husband/wife.
Any person no matter who he/she is would never like his/her wife/husband having such relationship with her/his colleagues.

Last year 90% of divorce happened because of Extra-Marital Affairs and in that 80% because of relationships with colleagues. And we would not like this to happen with us. So start from now.
Guys see to it that you don't put an habit of calling you female-colleagues after office hours or on weekends or holidays, even if they provoke you or give missed calls. Let them spend time with their family members or other friends. You also do the same. Good girls don't give missed calls. And girls who give I need not say what kind of girls they are. Stay away from them. You can talk as much as you want in office. And gals, if any guy calls you then it's not bad to say 'No, Let's talk in office' or 'I am busy, talk with you tomorrow' to that guy. Do it twice and they will automatically stop calling. Guys have this habit of flirting and you allowing them to flirt will only help them do more. Relationships can always be maintained in right manner. Never succumb to emotional pressure like 'You don't want to talk with me or what' or 'You can call him but you can't call me' or 'You talk for so and so time with her but with me only this much'. Some people fall for this because they don't want to lose a friend. Again I say colleague is not a friend. They are just here to work and keep on moving in their life. They go to other company, go for growth and so on. They will not wait for you in the same office to be with you forever. So don't be emotionally attached with your colleagues. They are competitors and always on their toes to show you down in front of seniors and managers. You may not realize now but this is a fact, be ready for it.
Imagine a girl getting married and someone says to her to be husband, that guy over there is the one who regularly calls your wife or your wife gives missed calls or calls that guy. Always this thing will remain on the back of his mind. Similarly someone tells the bride that your groom always keeps calling that girl or vice-versa…. Imagine yourself at that place. Situations arise because we allow them to. No one can lead ideal life but we can always make an sincere effort to lead one.

Another note to be taken about: (strictly male to female and female to male contexts)
If your colleague calls you. Just check out whether if he calls others also. If he doesn't then find out why? No guy will call other girl if he is not interested in that girl. In a group there can be five females but it's not necessary that a guy calls all five. He will only call the one on whom he is interested.
Similarly, a girl will not give missed call to everyone. If she gives then she must be really lonely. Stay away from them or you will be caught in their loving talk. Guys normally fall for girls because of their beauty or their talk. So if a guy colleague comes to you and proposes you then it's not his mistake completely, it's more of yours because you were the one who used to give him that space.
Also you become a topic of gossip among your fellow colleagues if they come to know that one of their colleague is calling you and not calling others. And there is nothing more dangerous than office gossip. It can cost you your job and just remember how easily you got this job.

So please keep your office and it's people at office and lead a normal happy life. For your good and for the good of your spouse. Send it to your colleagues, friends, relatives, parents and everyone and avoid incidents like the one mentioned at the beginning of this article. If you feel anyone is doing anything mentioned above then just go and tell him/her. You will be helping someone in their life.

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All About Mustard

2008-05-25T22:03:00.000-07:00

Mustard is the oldest condiment known. No one knows who first used mustard to flavor food. Mustard seeds have been found in tombs of the ancient Egyptian pharaohs and the ancient Romans used mustard seeds in some of their crude sauces. But mustard as we know it, a condiment sauce made from the seed of the mustard plant in combination with some liquid (water, wine, beer, etc.), goes back to the 14th century and perhaps even earlier.

The earliest reference to mustard in the Dijon region of France dates back to 1336, but we can assume that the early monks had developed the art of mustard making many years earlier. The ruling leaders of France enacted strict laws to govern the methods of making mustard and the ingredients allowed in its manufacture. Even today, French law regulates the making of mustard; only the brown or black seed is permitted in the manufacture of Dijon mustard. The French have brought mustard making to new culinary heights over the years. Today, Dijon mustard is the standard (for many) against which all mustards are measured.

The English developed their own style of mustard throughout the ages. It was originally made in homes or in monasteries, with little commercial activity involved. In the mid-1600's, the town of Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire became famous for its thick horseradish mustard that was the rage of English cookery. Shakespeare (a mustard lover himself) wrote of this famous mustard: "His wit's as thick as Tewkesbury mustard!" (Henry IV, Part II). For reasons we may never know, the mustard industry of Tewkesbury vanished nearly as quickly as it had appeared.

The greatest name in English mustard came upon the scene in 1804 when Jeremiah Colman began milling mustard seed at Norwich. Through the use of brilliant marketing techniques, Colman's mustard became the quintessential English mustard. Its most famous advertising campaign was "The Mustard Club," a whimsical fictitious club of odd characters (Master Mustard, Lady Di Gester, and its president Baron de Beef, to name a few).

The American mustard scene was different. We used very little mustard until the beginning of the twentieth century. Francis French, a New York spice merchant, developed a mild yellow mustard sauce that quickly caught the attention of the consuming public. French's "Cream Salad Mustard" became the national rage. At the same time, J.W. Raye was producing prodigious quantities of a similar mustard sauce for the sardine packing industry. Some claim that Mr. French and Mr. Raye entered into a "gentlemen's agreement" under which French would stay out of the then lucrative sardine market and Raye would stay out of the then speculative domestic household market. French's, of course, is America's largest producer of mustard but the Raye company has survived with its own line of specialty mustards.

Mustard in America has developed its own daring voice over the last thirty years. People have taken a strong interest in "gourmet" cooking. Chefs like Julia Child and James Beard turned America on to fine cuisine. Grey Poupon, American-made but decidedly French in style, took advantage of this new trend and brought a new kind of mustard to the American scene, aided in large part by a brilliant advertising campaign ("Pardon me, but do you have any Grey Poupon?).

Today, American mustards are as varied and numerous as the cuisines and restaurants across the country. Flavors such as curry, chocolate, merlot wine, cranberry, and even cheese may be found in gourmet mustards. They may sound "weird" but they taste great.

Mustard has always been a versatile and healthful (low in calories, with virtually no fat or cholesterol) condiment and fits in with today's active lifestyle. It is truly an international condiment, as countries put their own distinctive mark on the mustards they make.

The Mount Horeb Mustard Museum, in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, holds the largest collection of prepared mustards in the world - more than 4,600. The Museum also is home to hundreds of items of great mustard historical importance, including mustard pots and vintage mustard advertisements; the French's ad to the right is from the April 1936 issue of Good Housekeeping.

Did you know that there is even a day set aside to celebrate mustard? National Mustard Day is held annually on the first Saturday in August at the Mustard Museum in Mount Horeb and in communities around the country.

Should you refrigerate mustard? Even though mustard is a very safe food and is not likely to grow anything harmful if left unrefrigerated, I recommend refrigeration of all mustards in order to keep the flavor brighter and fresher. Keep mustards tightly covered but if you discover that your mustard has dried up, do not panic. Add a little water and it will bounce back to life.

By,
Barry Levenson (Curator, Mount Horeb Mustard Museum)

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The Little Things

2008-05-23T06:38:00.000-07:00

After Sept. 11th, one company invited the remaining members of other companies who had been decimated by the attack on the Twin Towers to share their available office space.

At a morning meeting, the head of security told stories of why these people were alive... and all the stories were just: the 'LITTLE' things.

As you might know, the head of the company survived that day because his son started kindergarten.
Another fellow was alive because it was his turn to bring donuts.
One woman was late because her alarm clock didn't go off in time.
One was late because of being stuck on the NJ Turnpike because of an auto accident.
One of them missed his bus.
One spilled food on her clothes and had to take time to change.
One's car wouldn't start.
One went back to answer the telephone.
One had a child that dawdled and didn't get ready as soon as he should have.
One couldn't get a taxi.

The one that struck me was the man who put on a new pair of shoes that morning, took the various means to get to work but before he ! got there, he developed a blister on his foot. He stopped at a drugstore to buy a Band-Aid. That is why he is alive today.

Now when I am stuck in traffic, miss an elevator, turn back to answer a ringing telephone...all the little things that annoy me. I think to myself,this is exactly where God wants me to be at this very moment..

Next time your morning seems to be going wrong, the children are slow getting dressed, you can't seem to find the car keys, you hit every traffic light, don't get mad or frustrated;

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Credit Cards - The Info You Should Have About Them

2008-05-07T01:48:00.000-07:00

Nice Information about Credit Cards... Hope most of you know...

Informative Reading !!!!!!!!!!!!

Priya: I want to buy a Sony digital camera costing Rs.20,000, but I don?t have any cash right now.

Raj: Why don?t you use your ICICI Bank credit card? Never heard them say ? Hum Hain Na ??

Priya: I am quite skeptic about using these cards. I pay using the card, get a bill after 30 days and pay after another 20 days. This is a maximum of 50 days interest free loan. Why does any bank do it?

If I borrow Rs.20,000 on personal loan at 11%.
Interest to be paid for 50 days = Rs. 20,000 * 11% * (50/365) = Rs. 301.40.

Here the bank is giving me a loan without interest when I use the credit card. Something is wrong somewhere!

Raj: Well! let me tell you how it works when you use your card to pay for the camera. You present your ICICI Bank credit card ? a VISA card.
Sony World swipes your card on a machine provided by Citibank. Lets call Citibank ? the acquirer bank and the process of Sony World swiping the card on that machine ? requesting authorization .Citibank communicates with the card issuer ? ICICI Bank through VISA Network to check if the card is valid and has the required credit limit.

ICICI Bank reviews and approves / declines which is communicated back to Sony World. You sign a receipt called Sales Draft given by Citibank. This is the obligation on your part to pay the money to ICICI Bank. Data on this receipt can be captured electronically and transmitted.

At the end of day or at the end of some period Sony World chooses:
Sony World submits the receipt you signed to Citibank who pays Sony World the money. Sony World pays Citibank a fee called Merchant Discount .
Let us say this is 6% of the sale value = 6% * 20,000 = Rs. 1200 Citibank sends the receipt electronically to a Visa data center which in turn sends it to ICICI Bank. ICICI Bank transfers the money to a settlement bank which in turn transfers the funds to Citibank.
Citibank pays ICICI Bank an Interchange Fee of 4% of the sale value = 4% * 20,000 = Rs. 800
20 to 50 days later ICICI Bank gets the money from you ? and you don?t pay the interest!!

Priya: Interesting! So Sony World pays more than the interest that I should have paid for the loan that I take. I, as a card holder have the following benefits

Convenience of not having to carry cash.
Credit availability ? free of interest.

However what benefits does Sony World get for paying so much money? Isn't it more profitable for them to take cash? They can save as much as Rs.1200.

Raj: Certainly. Some retail outlets offer you discounts if you pay by cash, don?t they?

However when you don?t count the money that you are spending, you tend to buy more! Cards encourage this ? called impulse purchase .

If you did not have access to credit, you would not have bought the camera this month ? or may be not any time soon either. By accepting cards, the merchant is actually extending you credit at the risk of the card issuer. He pays money to the banks to carry that risk.

Priya: So ICICI Bank uses this money to pay back to us when they announce 5% cash back. They insist that the Sales draft that I sign at the retailer should also be from ICICI Bank. This means they are saving on the Interchange Fee and also pay me a part of the Merchant Discount that they get.

Raj: Exactly! If you have noticed, ICICI Bank gives you the cash back in the next credit card statement. They keep the ?cash back? money for a maximum of 60 days before passing on a part to you. This accrues them
interest too.

Say if ICICI Bank earns an interest of 6% per annum for the cash they carry ? they get Rs.1000 * 6% * (60/365) = Rs. 10

That is not huge, but money nevertheless. And when you consider that almost everyone in this city shops with a credit card these days, it is a big sum.

Priya: And that also explains why banks tie up with petrol pumps ? like ICICI Bank has tied up with HPCL and I could re-fuel there without having to pay the fuel surcharge of 2.5%. The card issuer and the acquiring bank is the same and that saves interchange fees.

Raj: Good! You seem to have figured out how it all works! Let me summarize:

All the numbers used to explain concepts in this article must be treated only as an example. Merchant Discounts may vary from bank to bank. Interchange Fee is regulated by VISA and MasterCard.

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What To Eat After Workout

2008-04-28T06:37:00.001-07:00

Many of us have a great workout routine. We drink plenty of water, warm up, stretch, work the entire body, and even get in some cardio. Then, after the last exercise, we promptly head back to the locker room, change, and journey home.

You may have done the majority of the work, but how you treat your body in the minutes and hours after you exercise has a direct effect on muscle soreness, muscle strength and growth, and staying hydrated.

Cool Down: The first thing you need to do is cool down. Try some light cardio for a few minutes. This brings your heart rate down at a slow and steady pace, which helps you avoid feeling sick after a workout. Walking on a treadmill for five minutes is a good and easy way to cool down.

Stretch: Stretching allows your muscles to rebuild, growing bigger and stronger, and thus allows you to get the full benefit from your efforts. Stretching after exercise also relaxes your muscles, helps speed circulation to joints and tissues, and helps removal of unwanted waste products, thereby reducing muscle soreness and stiffness.

Drink Water: It's recommended that you drink another 2-3 cups within two hours after you have finished exercising. You may not feel thirsty anymore, but you still need to replenish yourself to avoid getting dehydrated.

Refuel: You need to repair your muscles and boost your energy level, and you need to do it fast. It's recommended that you eat within 90 minutes of your workout, but the sooner the better. Look for foods that are packed with complex carbohydrates and protein. A perfect example is a tuna sandwich on whole wheat bread.

Exercise Extra: The longer you cool down after a workout, the less sore you will be the following day.

Protein and carbs are exactly what you need to refuel your muscles. After a workout, it's important you get your muscles the nutrients and energy it needs to recover quickly and efficiently. You have a window of 20 - 60 mins after you work out to get what you need into your system. Think of your muscles as pleading for nutrition for 1 hour,after which they shut down and get mad if you miss feeding them in time.

The standard rule of thumb is you want to ingest 40 grams of carbs and20 grams of protein during this time window. This is easy to do, and you can get to it many ways:
- a protein shake and large bottle of Gatorade will get you the 40 & 20
- a yogurt smoothie - like Frusion - will get you close - you'll have the carbs but be a bit short on protein

The point is there's a lot of ways to get your Carbs and Protein in take needed. Whereas below states to look for complex carbohydrates, the ONLY time you want to skip complex carbs (like oatmeal, whole wheat bread, etc) in lieu of simple carbs (like sugar and white bread) is just after a workout. The quick-digesting carbs start working in your system quicker, which is exactly what your body needs to recover. Speed is the key here. Every other time during the day, go with the complex carbs.

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Sweaty Hands

2008-04-28T06:08:00.000-07:00

If your palms sweat more than a stool pigeon under police interrogation, you have a condition that doctors know as hyperhidrosis--excess sweating of your palms. In non medical language, you might call it just plain embarrassing. But here's how to get quick, hands-on relief.

"Shock" yourself dry. "The best treatment out there is a low-level electrical current called iontophoresis," according to Norman Levine, M.D., chief of dermatology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine Health Sciences Center in Tucson. Dr. Levine recommends a device called the Drionic that administers the low-level current.

How it works: The Drionic uses a 9-volt battery--not enough to harm you but enough to plug up over-active sweat ducts and keep them plugged for about six weeks. To remedy a sweaty palm condition, simply place your palm on top of the device for a few minutes. Further information about the Drionic is available from General Medical Company, 1935 Armacost Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90025.

Treat your palms as underarms. For a mild case of hyperhidrosis, the solution may already be in your medicine chest. "Some people find relief by rubbing underarm antiperspirant on their palms," says Stephen M. Purcell, D.O., chairman of the Department of Dermatology at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and an assistant clinical professor at Hahnemann University School of Medicine in Philadelphia. But check the label: The kind of antiperspirant that works on clammy hands should contain aluminum chlorohydrate, the active drying ingredient.

Manage your stress. "One effective way of remedying hyperhidrosis is through stress management," says Dr. Levine. "Learn biofeedback or practice some other stress control treatment, since this condition is at least partially brought on by stress or nervousness."

Boil five tea bags in a quart of water for 10 minutes. When the solution cools, soak your hands for 20 to 30 minutes nightly. Tea contains tannic acid, which is also found in commercial products such as Ivy Dry, Zilactol and Zilactin. Tea bags can also be held in the palm for 10-15 minutes daily to reduce perspiring palms.

One way to reduce sweaty palms is to reduce your intake of foods rich in iodine. Vegetables to avoid include broccoli, asparagus and white onion. Meats to avoid include beef, liver and turkey.

Drinking sage tea provide an additional home remedy for sweaty palms. Zinc has also shown promise in lessening both perspiration as well as body odor. The best advice with zinc is to avoid long term use as it may interfere with copper absorption.

The "Obvious" Solution Is Not the Best Why not dry those clammy hands with baby powder? After all, it seems like the cheapest dry-all solution.

"Baby powder might be the first thing people turn to. But rubbing powder on your palms is one of the worst things you can do, unless you have a very mild case," says Stephen M. Purcell, D.O., chairman of the Department of Dermatology at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and an assistant clinical professor at Hahnemann University School of Medicine in Philadelphia. "As the powder absorbs the perspiration, it will cake up, leaving you with sweaty, caked-up hands instead of just sweaty hands."

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.
Never use any home remedy or other self treatment without being advised to do so by a physician.

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Simple Solutions To Complex Problems

2008-04-25T22:12:00.001-07:00

People may not always believe what you say, but they will believe what you do.

One of the most memorable case studies on Japanese Management was the case of the empty soap box, which happened in one of Japan's biggest cosmetics companies. The company received a complaint that a consumer had bought a soap box that was empty. Immediately the authorities isolated the problem to the assembly line, which transported all the packaged boxes of soap to the delivery department. For some reason, one soap box went through the assembly line empty. Management asked its engineers to solve the problem. Post-haste, the engineers worked hard to devise an X-ray machine with high-resolution monitors manned by two people to watch all the soap boxes that passed through the line to make sure they were not empty. No doubt, they worked hard and they worked fast but they spent a whopping amount to do so. But when a rank-and-file employee in a small company was posed with the same problem, he did not get into complications of X-rays, etc., but instead came out with another solution. He bought a strong industrial electric fan (which was much cheaper than X ray machine) and pointed it at the assembly line. He switched the fan on and as each soap box passed the fan, it simply blew the empty boxes out of the line.

Learning.....Always look for simple solutions. Devise the simplest possible solution that solves the problems.

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Wealthy vs Poor

2008-04-25T22:08:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the "words of wisdom".

Wealthy people believe, "I create my life." Poor people believe, "Life happens to me."
Wealthy people play the money game to win. Poor people play the money game to not lose.
Wealthy people are committed to being rich. Poor people want to be rich..
Wealthy people think big. Poor people think small.
Wealthy people focus on opportunities. Poor people focus on obstacles.
Wealthy people admire other rich and successful people. Poor people resent rich and successful people.
Wealthy people associate with positive, successful people. Poor people associate with negative or unsuccessful people.
Wealthy people are willing to promote themselves and their value. Poor people think negatively about selling and promotion.
Wealthy people are bigger than their problems. Poor people are smaller than their problems.
Wealthy people are excellent receivers. Poor people are poor receivers.
Wealthy people choose to get paid based on results. Poor people choose to get paid based on time.
Wealthy people think "both". Poor people think "either/or".
Wealthy people focus on their net worth. Poor people focus on their working income.
Wealthy people manage their money well. Poor people mismanage their money well.
Wealthy people have their money work hard for them. Poor people work hard for their money..
Wealthy people act in spite of fear. Poor people let fear stop them.
Wealthy people constantly learn and grow. Poor people think they already know.

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Mirror

2008-04-21T10:37:00.000-07:00

One day all the employees reached the office and they saw a big notice on the door on which was written:

'Yesterday the person who has been hindering your growth in this company passed away. We invite you to join the funeral in the room that has been prepared in the gym'.

In the beginning, they all got sad for the death of
one of their colleagues, but after a while they
started getting curious to know who was that man who hindered the growth of his colleagues and the company itself. The excitement in the gym was such that security agents were ordered to control the crowd within the room.

The more people reached the coffin, the more the excitement heated up. Everyone thought: 'Who is this guy who was hindering my progress? Well, at least he died!'. One by one the thrilled employees got closer to the coffin, and when they looked inside it they suddenly became speechless. They stood nearby the coffin, shocked and in silence, as if someone had touched the deepest part of their soul. There was a mirror inside the coffin: everyone who looked inside
it could see himself.

There was also a sign next to the mirror that said:

'There is only one person who is capable to set limits to your growth: it is YOU. You are the only person who can revolutionize your life. You are the only person who can influence your happiness, your realization and your success. You are the only person who can help yourself. Your life does not change when your boss changes, when your friends change, when your parents change, when your partner changes, when your company changes. Your life changes when YOU change, when you go beyond your limiting beliefs, when you realize that you are the only one responsible for your life. 'The most important relationship you can have is the one you have with yourself'

Examine yourself, watch yourself. Don't be afraid of difficulties, impossibilities and losses: be a winner, build yourself and your reality. It's the way you face Life that makes the difference.

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Powerful Story about Stress Relief Strategy

2008-02-28T05:44:00.000-08:00

Some time ago, there lived a King.This king should have been contented with his life, given all the riches and luxuries he had. However, this was not the case! The King always found himself wondering why he just never seemed
content with his life.

Sure, he had the attention of everyone wherever he went, attended fancy dinners and parties, but somehow, he still felt something was lacking and he couldn't put his finger on it.

One day, the King had woken up earlier than usual to stroll around his palace. He entered his huge living room and came to a stop when he heard someone happily singing away... following this singing... he saw that one of the servants was singing and had a very contented look on his face. This fascinated the King and he summoned this man to his chambers.

The man entered the King's chambers as ordered. The King asked why he was so happy?

To this the man replied: "Your Majesty, I am nothing but a servant, but I make enough of a living to keep my wife and children happy. We don't need too much, a roof over our heads and warm food to fill our tummy. My wife and children are my inspiration, they are content with whatever little I bring home. I am happy because my family is happy."

Hearing this, the King dismissed the servant and summoned his Personal Assistant to his chambers.

The King related his personal anguish about his feelings and then related the story of the servant to his Personal Assistant, hoping that somehow, he will be able to come up with some reasoning that here was a King who could have anything he wished for at a snap of his fingers and yet was not contented, whereas, his servant, having so little was extremely contented.

The Personal Assistant listened attentively and came to a conclusion. He said, "Your Majesty, I believe that the servant has not been made part of The 99 Club." "The 99 Club? And what exactly is that?" the King inquired.

To which the Assistant replied, "Your Majesty, to truly know what The 99 Club is, you will have to do the following... place 99 Gold coins in a bag and leave it at this servant's doorstep, you will then understand what The
99 Club is."

That very same evening, the King arranged for 99 Gold coins to be placed in a bag at the servant's doorstep. Although he was slightly hesitant and he thought he should have put 100 Gold coins into the bag, but since his assistant had advised him to put 99 that is what he did.

The servant was just stepping out of his house when he saw a bag at his doorstep. Wondering about its contents, he took it into his house and opened the bag. When he opened the bag, he let out a great big shout of joy...Gold
Coins... so many of them. He could hardly believe it. He called his wife to show her the coins.

He then took the bag to a table and emptied it out and began to count the coins. Doing so, he realized that there were 99 coins and he thought it was an odd number so he counted again, and again and again only to come to the
same conclusion... 99 Gold Coins.

He began to wonder, what could have happened to that last 1 coin? For no one would leave 99 coins. He began to search his entire house, looked around his backyard for hours, not wanting to lose out on that one coin. Finally,
exhausted, he decided that he was going to have to work harder than ever to make up for that 1 Gold coin to make his entire collection an even 100 Gold Coins.

He got up the next morning, in an extremely horrible mood, shouting at the children and his wife for his delay, not realizing that he had spent most of the night conjuring ways of working hard so that he had enough money to buy
himself that gold coin. He went to work as usual - but not in his usual best mood, singing happily - as he grumpily did his daily errands.
Seeing the man's attitude change so drastically, the King was puzzled. He promptly summoned his assistant to his chambers. The King related his thoughts about the servant and once again, his assistant listened. The King could not believe that the servant who until yesterday had been singing away and was happy and content with his life had taken a sudden change of attitude, even though he should have been happier after receiving the gold coins.
To this the assistant replied "Ah! But your Majesty, the servant has now officially joined The 99 Club." He explained: "The 99 Club is just a name given to those people who have everything but yet are never contented,
therefore they are always working hard and striving for that extra 1 to round it out to 100! We have so much to be thankful for and we can live with very little in our lives, but the minute we are given something bigger and better, we want even more!

Lesson to learn from this Story:

We are not the same happy contented person we used to be, we want more and more and by wanting more and more we don't realize the price we pay for it.

We lose our sleep, our happiness; we hurt the people around us just as a price to pay for our growing needs and desires.

That is what joining The 99 Club is all about."

Hearing this the King decided that from that day onwards, he was going to start appreciating all the little things in life.

Striving for more is always good, but let's not strive so hard and for so much that we loses all those near and dear to our hearts, we shouldn't compromise our happiness for moments of luxuries!

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Study clears mobiles of brain cancer risk

2008-02-15T07:40:00.000-08:00

Studies have shown no evidence that mobile use is harmful to the brain.

Using a mobile phone does not increase your risk of brain cancer, according to a new Japanese study that is the first to consider the effects of radiation on different parts of the brain.

The finding adds to the growing body of evidence that mobile phones are safe.

Scientists at Tokyo Women's Medical University compared phone use in 322 brain cancer patients with 683 healthy people and found that regularly using a mobile did not significantly affect the likelihood of getting brain cancer.

They also studied the radiation emitted from different types of phones to assess the affect on different areas of the brain.

"Using our newly developed and more accurate techniques, we found no association between mobile phone use and cancer, providing more evidence to suggest they don't cause brain cancer," Naohito Yamaguchi, who led the research, said.

His team's findings were published in the British Journal of Cancer. Scientists around the world have been monitoring the effects of radio-frequency fields on human health for around 60 years.

Public concern over the safety of mobile phones has grown as more and more adults and children rely on them for everyday communication, although the evidence to date has given the technology a clean bill of health.

Despite an explosion in mobile phone use around the world since the 1980s, the number of cases of brain cancer has hardly changed.

A few studies have shown an association between mobile phones and cancer but the majority have found no link. The largest study to date, involving 420,000 people, showed no association with any type of cancer, even after 10 years of use.

"So far, studies have shown no evidence that mobile use is harmful, but we can't be completely sure about their long-term effects. Research is still ongoing," said Cancer Research UK's director of cancer information, Lesley
Walker.

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